Ferris Wheels
by Angel of Fire SG1
Summary: A trip back to Earth just had to involve a Ferris wheel...(ShepWeir)


**By:** _Angel of Fire SG1_  
**Rating:** _PG (language)_  
**Pairing:** _Sheppard/Weir UST_  
**Category:** _Cutness_  
**Spoilers:** _Siege part 1 & 2, slight for beginning of season 2 Atlantis, and end of season 8 SG-1_  
**Disclaimers**: _Atlantis is not mine...damnit..._  
**Summary:** _A trip back to Earth of course has to involve a Ferris wheel…_

**A/N: **_Random inspiration comes from rock concert I went to on Monday in Luna Park and...here it is..._

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**Ferris Wheels**

"I could kick your butt anytime, Rodney," newly promoted Lt Colonel John Sheppard grinned at his co-worker.

"Are you implying that Air Force Major's are better at shooting games than astrophysicists?" Dr Rodney McKay replied, picking up the toy gun.

"That's exactly what I'm implying…and it's Lt Colonel," he grinned again and picked up his own toy gun.

Dr Elizabeth Weir watched them, amused. Rodney and John were such completely different people, so different that if they lived and worked in normal circumstances they probably would never have talked to each other. Yet here they were, in Washington D.C., arguing over who was more likely to win a shooting game.

The answer was obvious.

She turned around and looked at the stall behind her, she wasn't really much of a carnival person, but John had seen it upon their arrival in D.C. and insisted that they went there. The stand behind her was one of the ones with the clown face that you had to put the small ball into.

"Did you want to play?" the man asked her, looking hopeful.

She shook her head. "No thanks."

"You sure?" he asked.

She was saved by a loud shout of victory from behind her. Turning around she, completely surprised, saw Rodney gleaming happily.

"I let you win," John was saying.

"Nope, I won fair and square because I know the laws of physics better than you do therefore I could calculate…"

"We don't wanna hear it Rodney," he replied.

Elizabeth watched as the woman running the stall handed over the large, soft toy, duck. Rodney's grin faded slightly as she walked over.

"What am I supposed to do with this now?" Rodney asked, holding the toy that was almost as big as him.

"It's useful in picking up hot chicks," John replied, smiling at him. "It means they can't see your face…"

Rodney glared at him. Elizabeth was sure that if he'd had a hand free he would have hit John, hard. Instead he seemed to take John's advise and a few moments later had found a short haired blonde to talk to.

"That gets rid of him," John said, moving closer to Elizabeth. "Lets go find something more interesting to do."

"Like what?" she asked.

He shrugged and started walking, she followed.

"Not sure," he said, looking around, then he stopped. "How about the Ferris wheel?"

She turned to look at his smiling face. He looked like someone had just told him he'd won a free flight in an F/A-22. She felt herself raise her eyebrow subconsciously.

"Sounds fun…" she knew her voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"Come on, I'll pay…" he said, looking hopeful.

How could she possibly resist that. Caving in she nodded. He grinned and ran off to buy the tickets for the Ferris wheel. Elizabeth Weirs stood alone for a few minutes, waiting for him to return. Looking around her she thought about the last year. It was strange being back on Earth, especially in somewhere as foreign to her as a carnival.

She'd been greeted at the SGC by Dr Daniel Jackson who'd informed her that General Jack O'Neill had been promoted to Head of Homeworld Security and that Major Samantha Carter was with him in D.C. on business.

She had a sneaking suspicion that it was more than just business. The way the two of them had been acting gave off to her the distinct impression that something had changed between them since she was the head of the SGC.

"We're on now!" the grinning face appeared in front of her again, making her smile in return.

"Lead the way, Lt Colonel," she said, his new rank sounding strange to her.

The two of them walked briskly to the Ferris wheel. There was one seat left and the guy was waiting for them. It was getting close to closing time and people were beginning to filter out, but as usually the Ferris wheel was full.

Elizabeth took her seat next to John. As the wheel began moving she felt slightly uncomfortable, she wasn't entirely sure of her feelings for John, and here she was, alone on a Ferris Wheel, back on Earth, away from the threat of the Wraith, with him.

"It's strange being back," she said, wanting to break the silence.

"I supposed," John replied.

"You don't think so?" Elizabeth asked.

"I go to different planets every week, Elizabeth…this is no different," he said. "So it's a more familiar planet, but it's not home anymore…"

He trailed off, looking out over the crowds below him.

"They don't even know…" she said, thinking about it for the first time.

She couldn't imagine being one of the people in the sea below them, unaware of everything that had happened, in their own galaxy and in the neighbouring galaxies.

"It's better that way," John said, quietly.

"You really think so?" Elizabeth looked at him.

He nodded slightly, still looking down. "They wouldn't be here…they'd be sitting at home, stressing over it, unable to do anything. We'd have to deal with the media and with protestors and infiltrators…it's not worth it."

"They'll have to find out one day," Elizabeth replied.

"They will," he replied.

Elizabeth found herself still staring at him. His hair was different – too perfect. He'd done it properly for his promotion ceremony, and even his changing of clothes quickly before they'd gone out again hadn't messed it up. For some reason the perfect-ness of his hair was annoying her. One of the things she loved most about him was his care-free nature, and that included his messy hair…

She stopped. _Things she loved most about him?_

She suddenly wished she were back on the ground, very far away from the man that was sitting close enough for their arms to be pressed together. She couldn't think of him like that, it was unprofessional and…and…

"Elizabeth you OK?" he asked.

She looked back up at his eyes in shock, "What?"

It had come out slightly too jumpy.

"Are you OK?" he repeated.

"I'm fine," she smiled at him. "I was just thinking…"

"About what?" he asked, his tone had changed.

It was soft and curious. She wanted it to go away. She turned her eyes back to look straight ahead, avoiding his caring gaze.

"Things," she replied.

"Things like what?" he asked, the boyish grin was back, she could tell even without looking at him.

She turned to face him again, narrowing her eyes and smiling slightly. "Why do you care so much?"

Damnit, that was not what she was going to say. She cursed herself inside, but didn't show it to him.

"Because I like to know what's going on in that brain of yours," he replied.

She let her emotions win.

"Why?" she asked, her turn to sound soft and curious.

"Because…" he trailed off, looking into her eyes. "I do."

Still the cheeky smile lingered on his face, but now she could read something else in his eyes. Something dangerous, yet luring. She wanted to be closer to him, but she refrained, it was bad enough that she was allowing her feelings to rise so close to her carefully guarded surface, but she definitely wasn't going to act on them.

Unless of course he did.

Which he wouldn't…

But if he did…

_Oh shit…_

She froze as she felt his hand lightly brush her face. Alarm bells went off inside of her. She couldn't let this happen. It was that wine. Yes that was it. She was imagining things and there was nothing between them, except that they'd both drunk a little too much earlier. She'd wake up the next morning and anything that did happen would mean nothing…

But she knew it was a lie.

He brush his thumb over her lips, looking at her intently.

"Elizabeth…there's some things I reconsidered when I was flying that jumper into the Wraith ship…" he said. "Some things I didn't even realise meant so much to me until that moment…"

She wanted to say something, but nothing that came into her head was good enough, so she remained silent, let him do the talking.

"And therefore there's something I have to do before it's too late…" he said, cupping his hand firmly on her cheek.

"John…we…I…we can't," she said.

"Yes, we can, there's no rules against it," he said.

"But…" looking into his eyes she knew he was right.

The same thing she'd watched Lt Colonel Carter and General O'Neill do for the couple of months she'd been at the SGC she realised she'd been convincing herself was the right way. But John was right. There was no rule against it.

No written one anyway.

She nodded ever so slightly, but it was enough for him. He leaned forward to kiss her and the Ferris wheel came to a jerky stop. John unbalanced and leant back again.

"OK, as if it wasn't bad enough that I had to get up the courage to do that once, now I have to do it again…" he mumbled, more to himself than to her.

But she smiled. Then she leaned over and kissed him on the lips. It was tentative at first, both of them cautious about what they were doing, it deepened and didn't take them long to involve tongues.

Strangely enough Elizabeth didn't feel guilty, or embarrassed that anyone below them could see them. Normally she was reserved about showing affection in public, but here she wasn't, not with him.

John pulled back after a couple of minutes. "Wow…that…was worth the wait."

He grinned at her.

"How long was the wait?" she asked.

"Well I've been wanting to do that since the moment I saw you, Dr Weir," he grinned at her.

She slapped him playfully on the arm. He caught her hand with his and lowered it down so their hands lay together, intertwined.

"But I…" his grin turned into a smile. "…felt something for you for almost as long. I'm not sure how long…I can't remember falling for you, it just happened."

She felt the blood rushing to her cheeks. Again she felt the need to say something but couldn't find the exact right words.

"I know the feeling," she finally managed.

He grinned again. "Always knew I liked Ferris wheels…"

Elizabeth smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder, looking up at the sky, in the general direction she knew the Pegasus Galaxy lay. Once they were back there things would change…


End file.
